HAPTIC KEYBOARD APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A haptic keyboard apparatus comprising:
- a membrane resistor keyboard device, including a top layer, a bottom layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer;
a plurality of key switches including at least twenty-six key switches, each of the key switches including a region in the membrane resistor keyboard device, each of the key switches being responsive to touch by a user;
a haptic device underlying the membrane keyboard device, the haptic device including a top layer, a bottom layer, and a layer of piezoelectric material disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer;
a plurality of haptic cells, each of the haptic cells including a region in the haptic device, each of the haptic cells being disposed under a corresponding key switch and configured to simulate a touch feel in the corresponding key switch in response to the touch by the user;
a processor electrically coupled to the membrane resistor keyboard device and the haptic device for identifying the key switch being touched and outputting a control signal in response to the touch by the user; and
a controller electrically coupled to the processor and the haptic device, the controller being further coupled to a plurality of reference voltage sources, the controller being configured to output a control signal to the haptic cell associated with the identified key switch, the control signal being characterized by a predetermined voltage and a predetermined frequency.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A haptic keyboard apparatus includes a membrane resistor keyboard device and a haptic device. The membrane resistor keyboard device includes a plurality of key switches, each of the key switches being responsive to touch by a user. The haptic device is coupled to the membrane resistor keyboard device. The haptic device includes a plurality of haptic cells, each of which is disposed under a corresponding key switch. Each of the haptic cells is configured to provide haptic feedback in response to the touch by the user. In a specific embodiment, the haptic keyboard apparatus also includes a processor and a haptic controller that provide control signals to the haptic device. In an embodiment, the control signals include programmable voltages and frequencies, causing the haptic cells to effect vibrational patterns in response to the control signals and provide haptic feedback to the user.
79 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A haptic keyboard apparatus comprising:
-
a membrane resistor keyboard device, including a top layer, a bottom layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer; a plurality of key switches including at least twenty-six key switches, each of the key switches including a region in the membrane resistor keyboard device, each of the key switches being responsive to touch by a user; a haptic device underlying the membrane keyboard device, the haptic device including a top layer, a bottom layer, and a layer of piezoelectric material disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer; a plurality of haptic cells, each of the haptic cells including a region in the haptic device, each of the haptic cells being disposed under a corresponding key switch and configured to simulate a touch feel in the corresponding key switch in response to the touch by the user; a processor electrically coupled to the membrane resistor keyboard device and the haptic device for identifying the key switch being touched and outputting a control signal in response to the touch by the user; and a controller electrically coupled to the processor and the haptic device, the controller being further coupled to a plurality of reference voltage sources, the controller being configured to output a control signal to the haptic cell associated with the identified key switch, the control signal being characterized by a predetermined voltage and a predetermined frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A haptic keyboard apparatus comprising:
-
a membrane resistor keyboard device, including a plurality of key switches, each of the key switches being responsive to touch by a user; and a haptic device coupled to the membrane resistor keyboard device, the haptic device including a plurality of haptic cells, each of the haptic cells disposed under a corresponding key switch, each of the haptic cells being configured to provide haptic feedback in response to the touch by the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification